


wait for me

by kusuos



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst and Humor, Bonding, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Multi, Mutual Pining, Sibling Rivalry, Slow Burn, based off of beauty beneath by dallystrings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29766234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kusuos/pseuds/kusuos
Summary: Perhaps it was the cockiness that Oikawa bled, or the look of complete and utter distress in his best friend’s eyes, but Sakusa couldn't hold back the lie that bubbled up in his throat.“You know Atsu, he’s a disaster when it comes to planning in advance,” Sakusa laughed lightly, dropping his hand to entwine his fingers in Atsumu's, hiding his flinch at the contact. “I’m Sakusa Kiyoomi, his boyfriend.”in which sakuatsu are oblivious and everyone is done with their shit
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi, Miya Osamu/Suna Rintarou, Past Miya Atsumu/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 9
Kudos: 67





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi ive had this in my drafts for a long time, i hope yall like it!

“Fucking hell, Miya,” Sakusa said, eyes flicking up to meet those of his best friend’s, “What did that salad ever do to you? “

Atsumu grumbled. “Keep it up and you’ll be next.” 

Sakusa rolled his eyes at the threat. He kept cutting up his food into small pieces methodologically and taking small bites. Atsumu continued to sulk, and Sakusa continued to ignore him. 

After almost ten minutes of silence, Sakusa realized that he couldn't stand it anymore, and gave in and asked the bleached blonde what was wrong.

“Just tell me what it is, Atsumu,” he said, using his given name to soften the blow, hoping that it would make him open up. 

He sighs. “It’s Mom’s birthday next weekend.” 

“You call her every week.” Sakusa said, confused. 

“That’s not the point, Omi,” Atsumu whined. “It’s her fiftieth birthday, and they expect me to come home for this one.” 

It finally clicked for Sakusa. In the almost seven years they'd known each other, Atsumu had avoided family gatherings like the plague and every time he’d gone to one, he’d come back home frustrated and close to tears. His parents favored his brother, Osamu, and always looked down on him for choosing volleyball instead of choosing to pursue what they said was a “real” career. 

“Oh,” he said quietly in response. 

“Yeah,” Atsumu said back, and they finished their meal in silence. 

* * *

“Maybe,” Atsumu said, spinning around in Sakusa’s desk chair, “I just won’t go.”

The two members of the MSBY Black Jackals were settled into Sakusa’s apartment after dinner, Atsumu messing around while Sakusa typed away on his laptop. 

“Don’t spin in that,” said Sakusa in lieu of addressing Atsumu. 

Atsumu rolled his eyes. “I’m not spinning.” 

Sakusa threw a pen at him. “Remind me again why you’re here? You have your own perfectly good apartment.” 

Atsumu groaned. “Stop bitching Omi, you know it’s okay to admit that you enjoy my company.” 

The curly haired spiker made a face at him, scrunching up his nose. “I despise you. You’re the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.” 

Atsumu cackled and threw the pen back at him; Sakusa caught it easily. 

“You should go,” he said seriously. “It’ll be okay, you won’t be alone.” 

He stared at Sakusa. “What.” 

“To the party. You haven’t seen your mom in a while, it’ll be good to see her again.” 

“No I meant what about the alone part.”

Sakusa looked at him with something Atsumu could almost say was fondness. “Well I’ll just go with you.” 

Atsumu’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief, gold eyes growing wide. “You’d do that for me?” 

He grinned at his best friend. “Nah, I just don’t wanna miss what’s bound to be a banger of a party.” 

With that, Atsumu jumped out of the desk chair and onto the bed where Sakusa was laying, tackling the other man into a hug. 

“Get off me oh my god,” said Sakusa, but there was no malice in the words. 

Atsumu shook his head. 

“Fine,” said Sakusa after a while, sitting up so Atsumu could rest his head on his thigh. 

They stayed like that until he was done working, a hand carding through Atsumu’s hair as he typed out another blog post. 

“I’m excited that you’re going with me,” said Atsumu with a grin. 

Sakusa looked down at him, observing the way his eyes shined when he smiled. 

“You’re a nuisance,” Sakusa quipped, trying to find a better word than _distraction._ Admitting that Atsumu had the power to distract him was admitting defeat, and that was something he refused to do. 

Everything with them was a competition, from who could score the most service aces during a match to who could get the other to snap first.

“I’m your nuisance,” said Atsumu, and Sakusa lost all ability to think. Atsumu saw his face and laughed, leaning into him. 

“No,” Sakusa grumbled. “Just a nuisance.” 

Atsumu ignored the jab. “It’s past midnight; you look exhausted.” 

“Why, don’t you look ravishing as well,” Sakusa replied, standing up and stretching. Atsumu reached out to hold his shoulder, the large hand squeezing tightly. Sakusa melted into the touch, his neck stiff from the constant hunching over his laptop and from practicing late every afternoon. He always overworked himself, no matter how much Atsumu tried to get him to stop. 

“I’m too tired to drive home,” Atsumu said. “I’ll just take a cab or something and then come back for my car tomorrow.” 

“Just stay,” Sakusa said. 

Atsumu looked up at him, surprised. “Are you sure?” 

Sakusa nodded. “I’m sure.” 

The shorter, bleached blonde man pulled Sakusa into a hug, startling him, but then quickly let go. 

Sakusa tossed him a pair of sweatpants and a shirt for him to change into, and then left to use the bathroom, face flushed warm from the hug.

When he came back, they both crawled into Sakusa's bed together, laying there in the quiet. He opened his mouth to ask Atsumu a question, but he didn’t know what to ask. The other’s eyes were still closed, the silence obviously not affecting him. Sakusa was unsure as to why everything tonight was having such an impact on him, it felt like all of his words were bound with an extra, unknown weight. 

"Thank you," he finally blurted out, his voice more sincere than it usually was. It prompted Atsumu to open his eyes, staring at Sakusa curiously from his side of the bed. The two sat in silence for a moment, yet it felt unlike any silence they had shared before. Atsumu's eyes sparkled in the light that came through the blinds, and Sakusa felt something catch in his throat. 

"What for?" Atsumu responded. 

"For everything." 

Atsumu eyes softened. "You don't have to thank me for anything."

"I do," Sakusa said back. Atsumu looked confused, like he was about to say something, but Sakusa turned around so his back was facing the other man's face; cutting him off. 

* * *

"Yes mom, we're on our way to the airport right now," Atsumu said into his phone. Atsumu's mother on the other end said something undistinguishable, and Atsumu's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Yes we, as in I'm bringing someone. Did I not mention it to you?" Atsumu laughed weakly, and Sakusa elbowed him in the side. 

“No, it’s just Omi-kun,” Atsumu wavered, and Sakusa elbowed him harder this time. Atsumu's face contorted in pain that he tried to conceal from his voice, promising he would call his mother when they landed and that he couldn’t wait to see her.

"Just Omi?" Sakusa huffed. "You really didn't tell her I was coming? Miya, you _bastard._ " 

"She's excited," Atsumu promised, his eyes pleading. "She's been wanting to meet you for years now, ever since I told her about you in high school." 

Sakusa's anger dulled for a moment, wondering what Atsumu had told his mother about him.

“I would have assumed you cleared it with her,” Sakusa said, voice almost like a scolding parent, “but they’re not going to be pissed that I’m showing up essentially unannounced?”

“Technically, I just announced it,” Atsumu offered weakly, and Sakusa just sighed in response. It was going to be a long week. 

* * *

The flight was about three hours, which was nothing for Sakusa. Growing up rich, he was used to flying. But for Atsumu, who'd never flown before, three hours was a really long time. 

Atsumu's grip tightened on the armrests. Sakusa noticed that, like in the car, his knuckles have turned white from the grip. It vaguely reminded him of Astumu's hand on his shoulder the night before, in his apartment. Sakusa shook the thought of fervently, biting the inside of his cheek as he tries to attend to Atsumu's whimpering.

“You’re afraid of flying,” Sakusa commented, and almost slapped himself across the face for the idiocy of the comment.

Atsumu just nodded, and Sakusa realized how serious it was, since the blonde wasn't teasing him or using his nickname. 

Finally deciding on a tactic, the curly haired man pried one of Atsumu's calloused, strong, setter hands, from the arm rest and intertwined their fingers together. Atsumu's eyes opened slowly, and his head turned to look at Sakusa. Gratitude washed over his expression, and Sakusa let out a breath he didn't know that he was holding when he realized that he'd made the right call. 

Atsumu held onto his hand so tightly during the flight that he almost broke Sakusa's fingers, but it was a small price to pay for knowing that Atsumu was at least a little bit more comfortable. It felt nice to do something to make sure that his best friend was okay, Sakusa realized. 

* * *

The anxiety of seeing his family again coupled with the anxiety of the flight had left Atsumu a nervous wreck. He was still shaking, so Sakusa grabbed his hand again and squeezed it tightly. They waited for their luggage to emerge, hands clasped tightly together. 

Somehow, Sakusa managed to get the suitcases with one hand while still holding onto Atsumu's with his other one. 

Sakusa usually didn't care what people thought about him, always putting his own comfort first. At least that was until he came face to face with Atsumu's mother. When he looked up from the floor, a short woman he recognized from pictures was scooping Atsumu into a hug. Beside her, a man who looked exactly like Atsumu, except for the fact that his hair was gray, stood there awkwardly. Osamu. Sakusa recognized him from pictures as well, and lifted his hand in a small wave. Osamu seemed surprised at the gesture, and lifted up a hand to wave in his direction. 

"Sakusa-kun!" Atsumu's mother cried out, pulling him into a hug. Sakusa tried not to stiffen at the touch, but pulled away as soon as he could. "I've been hearing about you for years," she said. "I'm Miya Yui, Atsumu's mother." 

"Good things, I hope," Sakusa replied. 

"Of course, of course," Atsumu's mother waved it off. "Atsumu adores you, all he talks about is how much you--" 

Atsumu coughed, cutting her off. "Omi, this is 'Samu," he said, gesturing to the man who was still standing there awkwardly. Sakusa had to bite back a smile at the news of Atsumu's adoration, but then realized that his mother was most likely exaggerating. It was just how they were. 

"Hi," Sakusa said awkwardly. 

"Hi," Osamu replied. Atsumu glared, and Sakusa shot him a look that was meant to shoot daggers into his chest. It seemed to work.

Osamu's smile faltered slightly, and Sakusa almost felt bad. He understood the difficult relationship between the two. However, Osamu didn’t seem to.

“Atsu, you’re so cranky after you fly. Don’t be rude to your brother,” Sakusa warned, and Atsumu's face contorted with betrayal.

Atsumu's mother led the way to the car, rambling about what a great week it would be to have everyone back at the house. Atsumu seethed beside him, and Sakusa reached out to touch his shoulder.

“I’m here,” he reminded him, “I’m yours,”

And if his mother and brother heard the soft exchange between the two, neither mentioned it.

* * *

"There's no fucking way I'm going in there if _he's_ there," Atsumu said. 

"Miya," Sakusa said. "He's just a person. He's not going to kill you." 

“I’m not leaving this car until he’s gone,” Atsumu whispered, face deadly serious. Sakusa sighed, and went inside to drop their luggage in one of the guest rooms. Atsumu stayed in the car. 

When he was done, he went to talk to Atsumu's mother. "Don't worry about him," he said. "He just gets like this when he travels. He'll be fine." 

He couldn't tell if he was trying to reassure Atsumu's mother or himself. 

"Oh honey, don't worry about Tooru," she said. "They were just a summer fling a few years ago, there's nothing to be worried about." She patted his arm sympathetically. 

Sakusa choked.

“Besides, Tooru is just head over heels for his fiancé, Hajime. And Atsumu is absolutely enamored with you-” she continued until Osamu jabbed her in the side.

Before Sakusa could interject and explain the severe misunderstanding of his relationship to Atsumu, his phone buzzed with a message from none other than Atsumu himself. 

'Help' it read. Sakusa faked a quick smile before insisting that he really should be checking in, and walked quickly towards the door.

He could still hear Osamu and his mother talking about the obsessiveness of young love as he walked away. 

* * *

Sakusa rounded the house to where Oikawa and Atsumu had moved to, out in the backyard where the grill was stationed. Oikawa's back was to him, but he quickly caught Atsumu's eye. Atsumu looked so happy to see him that he may break down crying, and Sakusa had to refrain from sprinting towards his best friend to pull him into a hug. 

“I swear, he acts more like your dad than you do, it’s so-” Oikawa's voice cut out halfway through the word, eyes holding onto Sakusa's as he sidled next to Atsumu properly. “Hey, your mom never mentioned you were bringing a guest, 'Tsumu. I’m Oikawa. Oikawa Tooru”

“It was,” Atsumu said, voice strained, the casual nature of Oikawa's relationship with his family cutting him like a knife, “a last minute arrangement.”

Oikawa's eyes shifted back to Atsumu, a look of triumph in his gaze. Perhaps it was the cockiness that Oikawa bled, or the look of complete and utter distress in his best friend’s eyes, but Sakusa couldn't hold back the lie that bubbled up in his throat.

“You know Atsu, he’s a disaster when it comes to planning in advance,” Sakusa laughed lightly, dropping his hand to entwine his fingers in Atsumu's, hiding his flinch at the contact. “I’m Sakusa Kiyoomi, his boyfriend.”

For a moment, the look that flashed across Oikawa's face was enough justification for Sakusa's lie. When he felt Atsumu tense up, however, he wondered just how much the lie would be worth it. 

“Boyfriend,” Oikawa whistled, eyes intent on Atsumu. "I can't believe that the king of no titles or attachments has a _boyfriend._ "

The words were a direct attack on Atsumu, and Sakusa looked to him anxiously. They had talked a fair deal about relationships and whatnot in the past, but Atsumu didn’t have much to offer. Just an ex that became the second son that his dad had always wanted. Normal things like that.

“I mean, our little fling was over a decade ago. Of course I’ve grown since then," Atsumu said, laughing easily. Sakusa noticed the way the words sent Oikawa reeling and had to bite back a smile. 

“Of course,” Oikawa clicked his tongue, and the anger that dominated him soon disappeared. “I’m happy you finally grew up, 'Tsumu. It was tough for the rest of us waiting around and watching. Your dad thought it would never happen,”

“Jesus Christ,” Sakusa gawked, and as if dragged back to reality Oikawa's cheeks flushed a deep red. His eyes flickered from Sakusa to Atsumu, stuttering out a quick apology.

“Sorry I- sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” he coughed, nodding curtly as he turned on his heel. Sakusa watched the man walk across the yard, and into the house where Atsumu's mother and Osamu were most likely waiting.

Sakusa felt his own cheeks flush slightly, as he awaited Atsumu's response to their newfound "relationship". A bitter moment may have ruined the next five days, hell, it may have put a serious bump in their friendship, and he only hoped Atsumu wouldn’t be as dramatic as usual.

To his surprise, Atsumu laughed. It wasn’t a regular laugh either, it was a deep seated belly laugh that had him doubled over and clutching his stomach.

Atsumu held out a hand to rest on Sakusa's shoulder to keep himself up, his body convulsing with the fits of giggles that tore through him. Sakusa watched with cautious eyes at first, but soon ended up laughing himself.

Maybe the next week wouldn't be so bad after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave kudos and or a comment if u enjoyed! next update should be sometime within the next two weeks :p


	2. Chapter 2

“We should probably,” Sakusa kept his eyes glued to the floor. “Talk about this, right?” 

Atsumu didn't respond, just heaved his bag onto the bed, oh shit the _one singular bed,_ and began rifling through the pockets. Sakusa stood by the door, his knuckles aching from the tight grip he held on his own bag. 

"Miya." Atsumu didn't respond. " _Atsumu,_ " he said, voice sharp and commanding. Atsumu looked up with an expression of boredom. Sometimes it was incredibly hard for Sakusa not to strangle him, or just murder him in cold blood. 

"Talk about what, baby?" Atsumu said, and Sakusa's jaw dropped as he stuttered to find the right words.

Sakusa sighed. "I'm doing this for _you,_ " he said. "So I would appreciate it, if you helped me out here, at least just a little bit, and helped me plan this lie." 

"The lie that you decided to tell," Atsumu shot back. 

Sakusa groaned. "Please just work with me here, Atsu. Please." 

Atsumu smiled at him, warm and soft. "My love," he said, in a sincere way that made Sakusa's heart ache. "I would love nothing more than to plan my life with you." 

Sakusa ignored the flutter in his chest and smiled at this, feeling finally like he had won control of the situation. As long as he was in charge, he felt a sense of confidence. "Sentiment doesn't suit you," he said. "Go back to saying you hate me." 

"Sentiment may not suit you, but being with me does," Atsumu shot back instead, rolling onto his stomach to gaze longingly in Sakusa's direction. 

Sakusa pretended to gag and grabbed his laptop and opened a new document, which he titled 'backstory'. "How long have we been together?" he asked briskly, already starting to type. 

Atsumu laughed. "How romantic. It’s new. Let’s say, a few months. Then I have an excuse as to why I didn’t tell my mom,”

"A few months," Sakusa repeated, scrolling through his calendar furiously. "Let's say late February?" 

"Valentines day?" Atsumu said, perking up at the mention of his favorite holiday. 

Sakusa scrunched up his nose. "No. I hate Valentines day. It's a commercial greeting card holiday made up by corporations just so they can sell candy and there is no way I'm making that our anniversary, let alone--" 

Atsumu cut him off with a laugh, and walked over to kiss him on the forehead. "You're adorable." 

The contact wasn't new for Sakusa, they touched each other all the time. But he wasn't used to kisses, wasn't used to touches in this context, where everyone would see them and _know._

"It's for our _fake_ _relationship,_ " Atsumu reminded him. "But let's say late February?" 

Sakusa ignored the blush blossoming on his cheeks and nodded. "Late February." 

"Okay, baby," Atsumu said, laughing again when Sakusa scoffed at the nickname. "What, you don't like pet names, darling? Come on lovie, we're _dating,_ now." 

Sakusa focused all of his efforts on staying calm under the rapid fire of pet names. He had never been referred to as anything of the sort, and it made his stomach churn. “Here,” he grumbled, shoving the laptop into Atsumu's hands. 

"Fucking hell, Omi-omi, "Atsumu said, looking over the details Sakusa had come up with in the span of the last few minutes. 

Sakusa muttered under his breath. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that," he said. 

"Sorry, darling," he murmured back. 

Sakusa stood awkwardly, unsure what Atsumu would think of it all. Granted, the majority of his list stemmed from romantic comedy tropes.

A few of the main points read:

\- met in college and stayed friends throughout 20's  
\- Atsumu kissed Sakusa to shut him up in the middle of an argument  
\- do NOT live together  
\- been dating since feb 20

Atsumu didn't say anything, just nodded, and Sakusa went to go unpack their suitcases, putting everything into drawers. 

When he turned back to face Atsumu, he caught him staring. Both of them averted their eyes immediately, looking to random corners of the room.

Atsumu's mother, the saving grace that she was, rapped at the door half a dozen times, calling them for dinner. Sakusa jumped with surprise, still jittery from the awkwardness of the situation, and made his way to the door.

“We’ll be out in one second,” he promised hospitably, shooting a look at Atsumu to urge him to get moving.

She nodded and walked away. Atsumu started running his fingers through his hair, trying to tame it back into something presentable. "Come here," Sakusa said, gesturing for him to move closer to him. 

Atsumu did, and Sakusa ran his fingers through the other man's hair, combing it back into place, making Atsumu smile softly. 

"You're an absolute mess, I swear I have no idea where you'd be without me," Sakusa rambled as he finished fixing Atsumu's hair. 

There came a small noise from the doorway, and both of the men looked up to see Osamu standing there awkwardly, staring at the both of them. 

"It's uh-" he started. 

Atsumu cut him off. 'We know." 

Osamu nodded and left. 

Sakusa sighed, and Atsumu looked confused, wondering why his best friend was always taking his brother's side.

"I'm not taking his side," said Sakusa. It was like Sakusa could read his mind. 

Atsumu frowned, arms crossed over his chest. "You don't know him. He just does all of this to get on your side, then he throws you under the bus." 

"You don't either," Sakusa replied. "It's been years, he's got to have changed. Give him a chance." 

Atsumu took the words into consideration, something that surprised Sakusa. Almost instinctively now, Sakusa looped their fingers together and led Atsumu into what promised to be another battle.

* * *

"So," said Atsumu's mother pleasantly from across the table. "You two have known each other for what, eight years now?" 

"Almost ten," Sakusa said automatically, feeling the intensity of Atsumu's stare from where he was seated next to him. 

"Ten, wow, that's a long time. What made you want to suddenly try out a relationship now?" she asked. 

Osamu butted in. "Well 'Tsumu's like Sakusa for forever now, he never shut the fuck up about him, not even in high school." 

Atsumu glared at his brother, and Sakusa tried to ignore the people around the table staring at him and waiting for an answer. 

To his left sat Yui, Atsumu's mother, to his right Atsumu. To Atsumu's right was Osamu, and across from Sakusa was Iwaizumi, Oikawa's fiancé. Next to him, of course, was Oikawa himself, whose demeanor had changed completely from their encounter in the backyard. 

Finally, at the other end of the table, was Atsumu's father. He showed up late, sat down without a word, and began piling food onto his plate without so much as a glance in Atsumu's direction.

Now, Atsumu's father, Miya Hikaru was staring at Sakusa like he'd just noticed that there was someone unfamiliar at the table. Sakusa couldn't breathe under the weight of his stare. 

"It was me, actually." Atsumu spoke up for him, a hand coming to rest on Sakusa's thigh for support. His face heated up at the touch, and he hoped it wasn't visible. "I was the one who made the first move," Atsumu continued. 

Sakusa could have deflated he was so relieved, slipping one of his own hands under the table to squeeze Atsumu's thankfully. 

"Aw," Yui cooed, marveling at Atsumu. Sakusa would've felt bad for the lie, but it felt so genuine that he didn't feel any guilt at all. 

"It actually took Sakusa a while to catch on," Atsumu continued. Sakusa turned to catch his eye, but Atsumu's gaze was warm and confident. "Just trust me," he whispered. 

Sakusa nodded a small nod.

“I took him on a few dates, before he, uh, understood that they were dates,” Atsumu said. 

“Well it’s not my fault we have dinner upwards of three times a week normally as it is-” Sakusa interrupted, and Atsumu squeezed his hand under the table again, laughing. 

It looked real, Sakusa could tell that from the faces of everyone around the table. His cheeks burned a deep red, unused to such blatant attention unless it was in on the court or in an interview. He realized, quickly, that he was out of his element entirely.

"Omi started arguing with me, actually, about nothing in particular, and I thought it was normal, because we banter a lot, but uh, I was tired of him not getting the goddamn hint, so I kissed him to shut him up." 

"Romantic," said Oikawa teasingly. 

Atsumu glared at him, and Iwaizumi elbowed Oikawa sharply, who yelped. "Iwa-chan stop," he whined. 

"Don't be an ass, Oikawa."

Sakusa knew he liked Iwaizumi already from that. 

Yui congratulated them, and talked about how happy she was for the oouple. 

“Yeah that’s nice and all,” Hikaru spoke up for the first time, voice gruff and indifferent, “But would you mind passing the rice, anyone?" 

The mood dropped in an instant.

Atsumu's gaze fell to the floor, disappointed. It wasn’t enough that everyone else had enjoyed the story, not if his father so clearly didn't care.

“It’s really such a nice story-” Yui started, but before she could get through the sentence Hikaru interrupted her.

"Hey, 'Samu, tell them about how well the restaurant is doing." 

Osamu's face blushed a deep red. He kept her head staring at his lap a moment, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Sakusa felt a twinge of sympathy for the man, he would do anything not to be caught in that situation.

"We just uh, did really well this quarter," he said, coughing as he picked at his meal. 

Hikaru leaned back in his chair, a look of pride washing over his face. Atsumu looked like he'd been slapped, and Sakusa realized that Hikaru must have never looked at him the same way. 

"Isn't that great?" he said. "It's not like 'Tsumu's doing anything like that, just fucking around with volleyball. It's not like he has a real career." 

Atsumu stared down at his plate, and the tension between the table rose. Sakusa saw the slightly smug look on Oikawa's face, as if he was reveling in his ex’s uncomfortable situation. Iwaizumi, on the other hand, looked mortified.

Yui was about to tear her husband to bits, from the look on her face. Hikaru simply continued munching on his dinner, unaffected by the friction that had taken over the table.

"You know, that's really great, 'Samu," Atsumu said civilly, looking at his brother with a gentle smile on his face. 

"Thanks," Osamu answered with a curt nod. 

It was only after this that Sakusa realized he had a tight grip on Atsumu's knee. Somewhere during the confrontation, he had instinctively held onto Atsumu, to silently promise that he was there for him.

Sakusa tried not to ask himself what impact that had on his fake boyfriend's actions.

* * *

"So," Hikaru said as they helped clean the kitchen together. "Sakura, right?" 

"Sakusa," he corrected slowly, unsure if the man actually didn't know his name or he was just joking. 

"Right, right, Sakusa," Hikaru said. Osamu bit back a laugh at the tension, finished putting the dishes in the sink, and then he was off. "So you and 'Tsumu are close friends, huh?" 

"Yes," Sakusa leaned against the sink. "Atsumu and I are in a relationship." 

“Oh, I don’t need to hear about that,” Hikaru shook his head, and Sakusa found himself taking full offense to the dismissal of his fake relationship. He'd taken so much to come up with this lie, the least Atsumu's father could do was appreciate it. 

He could only pray that Atsumu would pop out of the shower soon and come save him, but he knew how long his fake boyfriend could draw his showers out for and had no such hope it would actually happen.

“Okay,” Sakusa tried, unsure as to what Hikaru would be getting at.

“I’m just not interested in hearing about my son’s bedroom habits,” Hikaru shook his head, scratching his beard and Sakusa was sure he would combust at any given second.

“Of course,” he choked out, instead.

“Not to offend you, or anything, I’m sure your, uh, arrangement is nice,” Hikaru continued, falling into a web of vaguely homophobic comments that Sakusa tried to pass off as ignorance instead of maliciousness. He wasn't sure if he wanted to disappear into thin air or run the steak knife he was washing into the other man's stomach. 

“Right,” Sakusa nodded.

They both fell silent after that, finishing up cleaning the kitchen. 

"So," Hikaru started. "Atsumu." 

"Yes, Atsumu," Sakusa repeated, not sure where this was going to go. 

Hikaru scrunched his eyebrows, mimicking Sakusa's drumming of his fingers and tapping his foot as well. He looked distressed, like he was working up the courage to say something difficult.

“He’s… doing alright?” Hikaru asked, and Sakusa could have punched him in the face for the tension he created to ask that question. He couldn't stand the man, but he had to be nice to his fake boyfriend's father. 

Sakusa's shoulders relaxed slightly; this was a topic that he could work with. 

"He's doing great," Sakusa said. "He loves the team, and he's an amazing setter. He's one of the best in the V-League." 

“He loves what he's doing?” Hikaru repeated, cautiously.

Sakusa nodded. "He's happiest when he's on the court. Hikaru nodded. 

“Well,” Hikaru continued to nod, “he’s, uh, lucky to have you around,”

Before Sakusa could thank him, Hikaru lumbered out of the front door towards his car to head to work. He gripped the edge of the sink, trying to hold himself upright, a quiet part of him wishing that he was lucky enough to have this for real.

* * *

Sakusa never drank much, and when he did, he could usually hold his alcohol. But something about the endless glasses of red wine at the restaurant he and Atsumu were at for their weekly Thursday dinner was tempting, and he had allowed himself to indulge. By the time they made it back to the house, far later than Atsumu had promised, Sakusa was a giggly mess. Atsumu looped an arm around his waist without a second thought as they crossed the yard.

“Quiet,” Atsumu reminded Sakusa, and he lifted a finger to his own lips as a silent promise that he would behave. Sakusa shot him a look that was too quick to understand. They navigated through the house without tripping, by some miracle, and made it to their room fairly quickly. As Sakusa fumbled with the door knob, he noticed Osamu poking his head out of his door.

“Hi,” he whispered loudly, and Atsumu turned to cover Sakusa's mouth with his hand.

From his spot in the doorway, Osamu watched amusedly. During her time at the house, Atsumu had not been there much. Sakusa could only wonder what he had seen before. Vaguely, he remembered Atsumu's ’ hot and heavy relationship with Oikawa, in his weeks before leaving the town.

Something in him snapped with jealousy. Oikawa, who was so vicious against Atsumu every time he was around, had gotten to touch every inch of Atsumu as much as he wanted, who was so insufferably confident and sure of himself. Osamu watched them expectantly, as if he was waiting for them to drop everything and hook up right there in the hall. In his drunken state, Sakusa wondered if their lack of affection would be their downfall. Not if he could help it.

When Atsumu turned back, Sakusa surged up to slot their lips together for a kiss. Atsumu was surprised, and staggered back in shock. He reached out and held Sakusa by the waist to steady them, pausing only a second more before melting into the kiss.

Sakusa felt his heart soar, and he grabbed the back of Atsumu's neck to pull him impossibly closer. This was what he had been missing, this was what he had been aching for all this time. Atsumu. Atsumu. _Atsumu._

The name replayed over and over in his head, with Sakusa grasping at him in an attempt to secure more. Atsumu's fingers dug into his hips, like he was anchoring Sakusa down from drifting away.

“Hey lovebirds,” Osamu whispered from down the hall, “probably wait until you get to the other side of the door to do that,”

Atsumu pulled back, flushed and surprised, and nodded quickly as he twisted the doorknob. A giggling Sakusa was yanked through the doorway, and bounced over to his spot on the bed.

“I saved us,” Sakusa smiled happily, still giggling. “I made us look like a real couple in front of Osamu,”

The look that crossed Atsumu's face was complete despair, something that Sakusa had expected the opposite of. Shouldn't Atsumu be happy that they'd kissed? 

“Atsu?” Sakusa started, using his best friend's nickname, but Atsumu only forced a smile.

“Good job,” he managed, sucking in a deep breath and grabbing his pillow and blanket from the bed.

“Atsumu-” Sakusa tried again, sensing that something was wrong. Why couldn’t he understand what was wrong? Sakusa blamed the alcohol. God, he hated being drunk. 

“I’m just gonna go to bed, you should do the same we have a long day tomorrow-” Atsumu interrupted and Sakusa let out a stiff breath and crawled into the bed next to him. 

"Goodnight then, Atsu," Sakusa said. 

"Goodnight Omi," Atsumu replied, sighing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave kudos or a comment if u enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3

Sakusa woke to a raging headache, difficulty swallowing, and a nagging feeling that something had gone horribly wrong the night before. His eyes opened cautiously, and upon taking in his surroundings he remembered exactly what happened.

Atsumu laid next to him, dark eyelashes resting against his cheekbones, hair mussed, and lips parted ever so slightly. Sakusa found himself wanting to reach out and cradle his face.

But wasn’t that the problem, he realized. Last night he had wanted this. He was relieved when Atsumu slipped under the sheets next to him, and purposefully wiggled closer to feel the steady rock of his breathing.

Something about the mixture of alcohol and ruse of a fake relationship threw him off so badly, he had almost enjoyed kissing his best friend. Sakusa didn't think about the way that Atsumu's fingers dug into his hips when he held him, or the hunger that kept him clinging to Atsumu for far longer than necessary. Sakusa refused to acknowledge the stirring in his stomach at the memory, and squeezed his eyes close tightly to will it away. He didn't like Atsumu like that, he _couldn't._

In the next moment, Atsumu's eyes were open too. His own lips parted as he sucked in a shaky breath, their eyes held steadily on each other.

"What time is it?" Atsumu asked, 

"Eight something," Sakusa replied. Atsumu sat up easily, running a hand through his tangled hair as he stretched out. Sakusa tore his eyes away from the taut muscles of his best friend’s back, and instead took to examining his nails.

"We should get up," Atsumu said. "If I know my mother, she's probably halfway through cooking breakfast by now."

Without another thought, Atsumu threw back the covers and climbed out of the bed. He didn’t even look at Sakusa as he walked towards the adjoining bathroom, and Sakusa tried not to let his heart hurt because of it.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t something he was very good at controlling.

* * *

Sakusa watched the flames of the bonfire flicker, and thought about Atsumu. As if on cue, he felt a heavy hand settle on his knee.

“I was just thinking about you,” Sakusa admitted, eyes entranced. Atsumu glanced over, slightly startled, and Sakusa smiled gently.

“Good things?” Atsumu asked timidly, and Sakusa leaned over to rest his head on his shoulder.

“Good things,” he confirmed, voice laced with affection.

“Jesus Christ, you two are worse than Oikawa and Iwaizumi,” Osamu groaned from where he sat curled up in a lawn chair, cradling a cup filled halfway with sake in his hands.

Iwaizumi let out a barking laugh from where he sat with Oikawa on a spread out blanket, one arm around the other’s waist and the other clutching tightly to his hand. Oikawa looked at him in complete awe, his own smile blossoming as Iwiazumi's did.

“And yet no one is as over the top as you and that cup of sake,” Oikawa commented from his spot on the ground, and Osamu flipped him off within a second.

Sakusa felt his heart warm, from the wine in his cup as well as the arm latched tightly around his waist. It wasn’t necessary for the two of them to be so close, and yet they had remained touching in some way for the entire night.

Somehow, the night between the youngest members of the family had gone off without a hitch. When Osamu suggested a night together, Sakusa had his reservations. But his worrying had been for nothing.

“Hey, 'tsumu? Before we do anything tonight, I wanna apologize,” Oikawa had said, lifting a plastic cup out for Atsumu to take. Atsumu did so wordlessly, waiting for the punchline.

Sakusa jabbed him in the leg, eyes wide as he looked between Oikawa and Atsumu. Iwaizumi stood with Osamu, piling sticks onto the pit with a worried look in his eyes. Sakusa wouldn’t have been surprised if he was making the same expression.

“Apologize,” Atsumu nodded, waiting for Oikawa to go on patiently.

"Look, I'm sorry," Oikawa said. "I treated you like shit over something that happened years ago. Can we just let it go?" 

Atsumu nodded a small nod. "I'm sorry too." 

From there, the night only got better.

A different side to each of them came out that night, more open and loud and patient with each other. It felt like a dream to Sakusa, he had never expected to meld so quickly with a group he didn’t belong to. He wasn't used to fitting in with other people, and it was fun to be able to spend time with Atsumu and the people he was close to. 

“Alright, alright,” Oikawa said, taking a sip of his drink before setting it on the grass next to him. Iwaizumi instantly stole his hand back, and Sakusa was dizzied with the amount of affection between them. He wished he could have that with Atsumu, for real. 

Atsumu tightened the grip on his waist, pulling Sakusa's legs until they were splayed out in his lap. A small hum of contentment left his mouth, and Sakusa nuzzled into him to steal some of his warmth.

Sakusa shuddered under the cool night breeze, and Atsumu bent down to press his lips to the shell of his ear.

“Are you cold?” he asked quietly, rubbing a hand soothingly up and down Sakusa's arm. Though he tried to protest, his chattering teeth gave him away.

Atsumu pulled back completely, and Sakusa pouted as he sat shivering even harder. In one swift motion, Atsumu removed the hooded sweatshirt he was wearing. 

“Here,” Atsumu handed him the piece of clothing, and Sakusa held the soft fabric between his fingers for a moment before he could move.

“You didn’t have to,” he tried, but Atsumu pressed a warm hand to Sakusa's ice cold skin.

“Baby, please,” Atsumu whispered, and Sakusa shivered at the chills that ran up his spine from the words.

With no further argument, Sakusa tugged the sweater over his head. He sighed contently at the warmth, pulling the sleeves over the palms of his hands to hide as much of his skin as possible.

Atsumu nudged his shoulder with his nose, reminding him of their previous position, and Sakusa's heart skipped a beat. Carefully, they rearranged themselves to how they had been sitting before, with SAkusa's legs in Atsumu's lap and his head on Atsumu's shoulder.

Sakusa reached up to hold onto Atsumu's face, tracing over his cheekbones and jawline. Atsumu let his eyes flutter closed, keened into the touch, and practically purred with contentment. Sakusa leaned forward, their lips centimeters from brushing once again.

“It’s probably a good idea to head in for the night,” came Oikawa's high pitched voice, and Sakusa flinched back quickly. Atsumu kept his eyes closed, nuzzling into Sakusa's hand sweetly. Sakusa ran his fingers through Atsumu's bleached blonde hair.

Iwaizumi, far past half asleep, mumbled in agreement from where he laid curled up on the blanket. Osamu knocked back the rest of his sake, popping up to grab enough water to put out the fire before they headed in.

“Tooru,” Atsumu called out, not having moved from his spot, “It’s too late for you to drive. There’s a spare bedroom in the house that’s yours if you want it,”

Oikawa nodded his thanks. Sakusa moved to help Osamu extinguish the fire, but Atsumu caught him in his grip.

"He can handle it,” Atsumu assured him.

“Okay,” Sakusa whispered, tracing his fingers through Atsumu's hair.

They had never been the type of friends to indulge in physical contact. A hug here, a punch on the shoulder there, that was as far as it had ever gone. But now, Sakusa struggled to imagine what life would be like without Atsumu's sturdy arms around him.

“You said you were mine,” Atsumu reminded him, and Sakusa grinned.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised.

Sakusa cradled Atsumu's head against his chest as he played with his hair. Osamu rolled his eyes, and gestured to the house for the two of them to get going.

Sakusa helped Atsumu to stand up, and he practically slumped over onto Sakusa as soon as he was up. The two walked, leaning on each other, from the backyard into the house. Sakusa was careful not to make any noise as they moved through the house.

Finally, they made it into the room. Sakusa felt the buzz of the alcohol in his veins, but there was something more powerful swirling through him.

Gently, he laid Atsumu down on the bed. He was quick to take off the other’s shoes, and yank the blankets up over his shoulders. Atsumu, obviously still awake, grinned at the coddling and happily went along with it.

“Come to bed,” Atsumu whispered, holding out his hand to catch Sakusa's wrist.

Sakusa's heart flipped in his chest, and he nodded quickly as he walked around the mattress to the other side. Gingerly, he pulled back the blankets and slipped underneath them. Sakusa was careful to leave space between the two of them, but it was gobbled up in an instant when Atsumu rolled over onto his side.

A large hand rested on Sakusa's waist, and fingers drummed along his back. Sakusa let out a tiny gasp of contentment, inching closer. Atsumu grinned, letting himself relax further into the mattress.

Sakusa didn’t say anything, just watched Atsumu's calm face as they laid in silence. After a moment, Atsumu's eyes opened slowly to meet his. Through the dark, he could barely make anything out.

Sakusa reached forward to cradle Atsumu's face, and felt the smile bloom.

“Goodnight, Atsu,” Sakusa whispered.

“Goodnight, Omi,” Atsumu returned.


End file.
